Tag: basic mathod of baking a sponge cake

Use the right equipment : To cream up the cake batter, use an electric hand mixer for best results. Traditionally, a wooden spoon was used, but now, this machine does a quicker and easier job.

Measure ingredients accurately : For a beautiful cake, all ingredients should be measured with 100% accuracy as specified in the recipe. The best equipment to facilitate this particular need is a digital scale rather than a normal kitchen scale. For a volume of 1Kg cake, for instance, you need, 250 g butter, 250 g sugar, 250 g Self-raising flour and 4 eggs.

Use the best ingredients : Using good brands for your cake is very important for the best results. The brands that I have been using for the past 15 years are shown above. All ingredients should be kept at room temperature, before making the cake batter.

Mixing the cake : Make sure you beat the batter, clockwise with your electric hand mixer in order to get the right consistency – never side to side or counter clockwise. Mixing will take for about 3 – 5 mins at high speed.

Eggs : Make sure you use Class A medium eggs that are kept at room temperature. Take out from the fridge 1/2 hour early or if you are in a hurry, drop them in a bowl filled with lukewarm water for 10 mins.

Butter : I personally do not prefer using butter, as the cake goes stiff after a few hours in cold climates. Before using, however, you need to soften up the butter, which gives you an extra task to attend to. There are very good spreads available in supermarkets, especially made for baking purposes, which are naturally creamy and stay creamy in the fridge too. I use Stork, especially for cakes tub, which has never let me down; it rather helped me bake such glorious cakes.

Sieve the flour : Use self-raising flour for cakes, unless suggested otherwise in the recipe. For some cakes, a blend of both self-raising and plain flour are used. Swift the flour and baking powder together, holding the sieve, well above the cake batter. This will allow the air to escape from the flour, giving a very light, soft texture to your cake. Make sure you use a wooden spoon to co-ordinate flour and batter together, never the electric hand mixer. Lightly, fold flour bringing from the sides and dropping to the middle and going around gently until all comes together as soft batter.

Sugars : Use Caster sugar, which is ideal for cakes. The mixing time will take up to 1-2 mins for caster sugar as it dissolves very quickly. However, you can use granulated sugar, which gives the same results. The only difference is that you have to extend the mixing time up to 3-4 mins, up until the sugar granules breaks down and dissolves.

Baking powder : Baking powder is a key ingredient, as it helps the cakes to rise. Use a good brand and never use too much. Excessive baking powder will make the cake taste bitter, leave a sunken cake and a wrinkled surface.

Baking tray : Choose the right size for your cake. If you have a large tray, you can divide it by using a thick strip of a cardboard to fit for a smaller quantity of batter. Remember, never to fill the trays to the brim as the cake doubles it’s volume while rising. So, fill the tray – 2/3 or half. ( 8″ x 10″ Oblong tray for 1 Kg cake). For cupcakes, use cupcake trays to place the cupcake cases filled with batter so that they do not spill out and stay intact. Silicon cupcake cases are great for handling and they could be re-used after a quick wash with warm water.

Lining the tray : Use parchment paper to line up the tray. Do not worry if you have run out of parchment paper; you can use white blank sheet papers, cut into the shape of the tray and brush butter all over, dust the surfaces with flour and shake off the excess.

Vanilla essence : Use a good brand of natural vanilla essence.

Lemon juice : Dropping just 1tbsp of lemon juice to your cake batter will make a big difference. It will give a very pleasant aroma as well as taking the taste to the highest limits.

Salt : Most of the modern recipes do not include salt in theirs. Yet, salt used as a vital ingredient for baking since Victorian times. Just a pinch or two salt will help blending the flavours and heightening the taste.

Oven : Set the oven to 180 C , 20 mins before you pop the cake in. Depending on your oven, the self that you place the cake on differs. It should be either in the middle self or the bottom. It’s very important to be in tune with your oven. Bake a few small cakes and check the exact place which bakes your cake to perfection. Do not open the door of the oven in the first 10 mins of baking as it will drop the cake in the middle. Baking time varies according to the set ups in ovens. Normal baking time is 15 – 25 mins.

Wooden skewers : Use a thin wooden skewer to insert in the middle of the cake after 15 mins of baking time. If the skewer comes clean, your cake is ready!!!! If the skewer is damped with a few bits of batter, shut the door and bake for another 5 mins.

Cooling : Leave the cake in the tray for 5 mins to cool off. If you try to take it out, the cake can break in several places. Slowly pull from the sides of the parchment paper and take the cake gently out to leave it to rest on a cooling rack for about 10 mins.

Cutting the cake : Dip the knife in hot water, wipe clean before cutting the cake to prevent it from crumbling.

Serve the cake : Now, serve your cake with a big SMILE !!! Store the left overs in an air tight container. When serving next day, microwave the cake pieces on a plate just for 5 seconds and everyone will think that they came straight from the oven – so soft, nice and warm!!

Food Humour

Why did Miss Tomato blush?
Because, she saw Mr Salad dressing!What did olives say to feta cheese in the Greek salad?
Lettuce get together!Waiter, waiter! There is a mosquito in my soup.
Don't worry madam, mosquitoes have very small appetites.Vegetarian: I've lived on nothing but vegetables for years.Bored Grandma:That's nothing; I lived on Earth all my life, dear.What's cannibal's favourite food?
Baked Beings, I suppose.